When Emperor Yangdi of the Sui dynasty toured Jiangdu (Yangzhou), he ordered Yang Su to guard the West Capital (Chang'an). Yang Su was an imperious noble, and at that time, when the country was still in disorder, he believed that no one had greater power than he. He was supercilious, licentious and dissolute beyond compare. Whenever officials came to offer advice, or guests came to visit, he always met with them sitting on a couch, accompanied by beautiful women. He walked around with slave girls on both sides; his manner exceeded even that of an emperor. Towards the waning days of the Sui dynasty, he became even worse.
One day, the Duke of Wei, Li Jing, wearing common clothes, paid Yang Su a visit to offer advice. Yang Su still remained seated on his couch.
Li Jing came forward and said, "The world is in chaos; everywhere heroes compete for power. An important minister such as yourself should be busy gathering worthy men; you shouldn't receive your guests sitting." The arrogance disappeared from Yang Su's face, and he stood up to talk with Li Jing. After their talk, Yang Su was pleased, and accepted Li Jing's suggestion.
All the while Li Jing and Yang Su were talking, a beautiful servant girl stood by, holding a red whisk, staring with rapt attention at Li Jing. As Li Jing was leaving, the girl followed closely and asked one of the petty officials, "Who was that man just now, and where is he from?" The official told her, and the girl nodded and left. Li Jing went back to his quarters.
That night, just before dawn, suddenly Li Jing heard a knocking at the door, and low voice calling out. Li Jing opened the door and took a step back when he saw a person before him wearing a purple gown and a cap, a walking stick in hand, from which hung a leather bag.
Li Jing asked, "Who are you?"
The person said, "I am one of Yang Su's maids, the one holding the red whisk." Li Jing invited her in. She took off her outer gown and cap and Li Jing was surprised to see that she was a beautiful girl of about 18 or 19. This beautiful girl wore no make-up, and her clothes were very resplendent. She bowed to him. Li Jing was taken aback. The girl said, "I have served in Master Yang's house for a long time; I've seen many famous men. But I have never seen any like you. As a woman, I eventually want a home to return to, so I have come to you."
Li Jing said, "Yang Su is a powerful figure in the capital; won't that be difficult?"
The girl said, "He's an idiot. Several of the other maids have left, and he hasn't tried very hard to get them back. Don't worry."
Li Jing listened to the girl's words, so full of confidence. He asked her name. The girl said her surname was Zhang and that she was the oldest in her family. Regarding the girl's skin, appearance, figure, speech, and temperament, she really was the perfect person! Being able to receive such a girl, of course Li Jing was very happy, and even a little bit afraid; thinking it all over brought him not a little anxiety.
Inquisitive people came and nosed about, and the two got a chance to get to know each other better. A few days later, there had been no news of an investigation by Yang Su. So the two saddled up and fled to Taiyuan. On the way they stopped at an inn in Lingshi. Inside, meat pork had already been cooked over the stove. The Zhang girl was combing her long hair in front of the couch while Li Jing curried the horses. Suddenly, there came a man of medium height, with a long, red curly beard, riding a lame donkey. He threw down his leather bag by the stove, and grabbed a pillow and laid down on the couch, watching the Zhang girl comb her hair. Li Jing was angry, but he continued to groom the horses. The Zhang girl saw Li Jing's face and knew he was angry. She held her hair in one hand, and with the other, gestured for Li Jing to stay calm. She quickly finished combing her hair, then went over to the newcomer and asked his name. The reclining man answered that his surname was Zhang.
The Zhang girl said, "My surname is also Zhang, so I'm your little sister." After saying so, she bowed to him. Then she asked him his position in his family. The man said he was third child.
The man asked what her position in her family was. When the girl answered that she was the oldest, the man said happily, "It's a lucky day to encounter you, sister."
The Zhang girl called to Li Jing, "Li Jing quick, come over here and pay your respects to Third Brother." Li Jing quickly came over and kowtowed. Then they all sat together around the stove.
The stranger asked, "What kind of meat are you cooking?"
"Mutton. It should be cooked by now."
The stranger said, "I'm very hungry." Li Jing went out to buy some cakes, then the stranger used his dagger to cut the meat and they all ate together. After they had finished eating, the stranger took the leftover mutton, sliced it up, and gave it to the donkey. He was quick in his movements.
The stranger said, "You look like a poor soldier. How did you marry such a good wife?"
Li Jing said, "I may be poor, but I am a man of integrity. If anyone else had asked, I wouldn't tell them. But since you asked, brother, I won't try to hide anything." Li Jing proceeded to tell him everything that had transpired.
The stranger asked, "Where do you plan to go?"
Li Jing said, "I plan to return to Taiyuan."
The stranger said, "I have some business to attend to as well; I won't be able to go with you." Then he asked, "Do you have any wine?"
Li Jing said, "There's a wineshop to the west." Li Jing went to buy a jar of wine and then came back.
After several rounds of wine, the stranger said, "I have something to discuss with you; would Mr. Li care to share a drink with me?"
Li Jing said, "I dare not accept the honor."
Alas, the stranger opened his leather bag and took out a human head and a heart. He put the head back in the bag and, using his dagger, cut up the heart, and they ate it together. The stranger said, "This is the heart of an, ungrateful, heartless person. I have held this hate inside for ten years. Today I finally got my revenge. I have no regrets." Then he said, "Mr. Li, I can see you are a man of outstanding manner and dignified bearing, a real man! Have you heard of any remarkable individuals in Taiyuan?"
Li Jing said, "I once knew a man I thought truly remarkable; the rest are only good enough to be generals."
The stranger asked, "What's his name?"
Li Jing said, "The same as mine, Li."
The stranger asked, "How old is he?"
Li Jing said, "About twenty."
The stranger asked, "What is he now?"
Li Jing said, "He's the son of the general of Taiyuan."
The stranger said, "Looks like he could be the one. I would like to see him. Could you set up a meeting with him for me?"
Li Jing said, "My friend Liu Wenjing and he are acquainted; we can set something up through him. You want to do that?"
The stranger said, "An astrologer told me there is an odd portent at Taiyuan, which he said I should go investigate. You're leaving tomorrow; when will you arrive in Taiyuan?" Li Jing calculated the distance and said it would take about a day. The stranger said, "The day after you arrive, at dawn, I'll be waiting for you at Fenyang Bridge." Having said this, the stranger got on his donkey and flew off so fast that by the time Li Jing turned around, the stranger was already a speck in the distance.
Li Jing and the Zhang girl were astonished. After a time, they said, "That man is an upright individual; he won't deceive us; we needn't worry."
Thus, the two quickly mounted their horses and set off, and arrived in Taiyuan on schedule. They were delighted to find the stranger waiting for them at Fenyang Bridge as he had said, and they all three went together to pay a visit to Liu Wenjing.
Liu Wenjing came out to greet them. As usual, he was very respectful towards Li Jing, and they retired to discuss state affairs. Knowing that the stranger and Li Jing were good friends, they all got along well, and they all drank together. Presently, Li Shimin arrived, looking disheveled, but in high spirits; he didn't look like an ordinary person.
The curly-bearded stranger had sank into a deep silence at the end of the table. When he saw Li Shimin, however, all his hopes turned to dust. After several rounds of wine, the curly-bearded stranger beckoned to Li Jing and said, "That man is the true emperor!"
Li Jing told Liu Wenjing this, and Liu Wenjing was very happy. Once Li Shimin had left, the curly-bearded stranger said, "I'm about 80 or 90 percent sure, but I still want my Daoist friend to take a look. Li Jing and Sister return to the capital. Meet me around noon at the wineshop east of Mahang. Outside you'll see my donkey and a skinny mule; that's how you'll know me and my Daoist friend are there."
After Li Jing and his wife arrived at the capital, they quickly found their way to the wineshop, where they saw the donkey and the mule. They went upstairs, where they found the curly-bearded stranger and a Daoist priest drinking together. When the stranger and the priest saw Li Jing, they were pleasantly surprised, and they invited Li Jing and his wife to join them for a drink.
After more than ten rounds of wine, the curly-bearded stranger said, "In the cupboard downstairs, you will find a lot of cash. Choose a concealed place for your wife to stay, and once that's all settled, meet me again another day at Fenyang Bridge." Li Jing did as instructed and went to the bridge at the designated time. The curly-bearded stranger and the Daoist priest had already arrived ahead of him. They all went together to pay a visit to Liu Wenjing.
Liu Wenjing was playing weiqi when they arrived. He got up and they chatted for a while. When it was apparent they had come to see Li Shimin, he sent a letter inviting Li Shimin to come watch a game of weiqi. Liu Wenjing and the Daoist priest played weiqi while the curly-bearded stranger and Li Jing stood to either side and watched. After a while, Li Shimin arrived and they all exchanged greetings. Li Shimin's presence seemed to clear the air around him, his smiling mien like a fresh breeze, his eyes brightening everywhere he looked.
When the Daoist priest saw him, he was miserable, sad, and with a weiqi stone in hand, said, "The game is lost. Lost! After this move I can't win, aiya! There's no way to save it." With nothing else to say, the Daoist priest took his leave without finishing the game. Outside, he turned to the curly-bearded stranger and said, "This world is not your world. You should go to some other place and think of some other way; but keep your chin up and don't think about it too much."
They prepared to leave together for the capital. The curly-bearded stranger said to Li Jing, "We'll part ways here. In a day you will reach the capital. The day after you arrive, you and your wife are welcome to stop by my humble abode. I'm so ashamed to make you go back and forth so many times, forced to leave your wife alone in an empty house. This time I want to call on you two so we can get together and talk things over properly." Having said this, the curly-bearded stranger sighed and left. Li Jing raised his whip and urged his horse on towards the capital.
Li Jing and the Zhang girl went together to pay a visit to the curly-bearded stranger at the place he had told them. His house had a small wooden door. They knocked, and a man came out and said, "Third Gentleman is waiting respectfully for Madam and Li Jing; he's been waiting for you for awhile now." They were led through the inner doors, and what they saw was really magnificent. There were more than thirty maidservants standing to either side. Twenty servants led Li Jing and his wife into the east hall, where they saw many unusual and uncommon objects. After washing up, they changed into special clothes. Then Third Gentleman arrived. It was none other that the curly-bearded stranger, wearing a black gauze hat and a brown fur coat; he looked outstanding. When the stranger saw them, he was very happy. He called his wife to come pay her respects, and they saw that his wife's beauty was like that of a goddess. The stranger invited Li and his wife to the central hall; the furnishings were more luxurious and rich than those of the nobility.
The four of them were seated, and after food and drink had been served, twenty girls came out, like fairy-maidens descended from the heavens, and played music such as had never been in the world before. After they had drunk and eaten their to their hearts' content, servants brought out twenty large tables, all covered with embroidered cloth. The cloths were removed, revealing account books and keys. The curly-bearded stranger face Li Jing and said, "These are all the treasures I have; I present them to you. Why is this? I wanted to make my mark on the world, make an all-out effort for a few years, really achieve something. But now that the true dragon emperor has appeared, it doesn't matter what accomplishments I make now. Li Shimin of Taiyuan is the true Son of Heaven. Within three to five years he will bring peace to the state. Mr. Li, with your talents and assistance, provided you give it your all, you'll eventually rise beyond the ordinary ministers. And Virtuous Sister, you already has a heavenly visage, and with your unusual resourcefulness, following your husband, you will certainly enjoy glory and wealth. It's true: only Virtuous Sister could recognize Mr. Li, and only Mr. Li could have the opportunity to meet Virtuous Sister. When the sages of the generation begin to appear, you will have a good opportunity. Truly, when the dragon soars and the tiger roars, the company of heroes gathers. This is all a matter of course. I gave you these things so that you can use them to aid the true ruler, and to dedicate yourselves to making contributions and achievements. I hope you two will make a great effort. If ten years from now, a thousand li to the southeast some special thing should happen, that's just me realizing my aspirations. When that time comes, I hope Virtuous Sister and Mr. Li will offer a libation to me in congratulations." The stranger turned to his right-hand man and said, "From now on, Mr. Li and Virtuous Sister are your masters." Having said this, the stranger and his wife donned military clothes and left on horseback, with only a single servant accompanying them. After a few steps, they disappeared.
Li Jing stayed in that house, and became a rich and powerful person. He used the gifts the curly-bearded stranger had bestowed on him to aid Li Shimin in establishing a great undertaking. During the middle of Li Shimin's Zhenguan reign period, Li Jing was a close servant to the emperor. Foreign tribesman to the southeast reported to the emperor, "More than 1,000 ships and 100,000 troops have entered the Kingdom of Fuyu, killing the king. All is stable inside the kingdom now." Li Jing knew that the curly-bearded stranger had succeeded. When he got home, Li Jing told his wife, and they faced the southeast and offered a libation in congratulations.
From this event we can see that a true man rises up not from just any hero, much less from someone who is not a hero. Treacherous court officials who seek to rebel are like a praying mantis trying to resist a cart. It has been said that half of the Duke of Wei, Li Jing's military strategy was handed down from the curly-bearded stranger.